5 ms·

> On Android phones, you’ve always been able to install any search engine or browser you want, irrespective of what came pre-installed on the phone when you bou

> On Android phones, you’ve always been able to install any search engine or browser you want, irrespective of what came pre-installed on the phone when you bought it. cough cough cough, that google search bar in the home screen by default is pretty Google Search specific.

0815test 8y ago
It's integrated in the launcher, which is a replaceable part of the system. Just pick a launcher that doesn't have it, or makes it optional.
- acct1771 8y ago
  Your parents: "Wait...say that again?"
  - parthdesai 8y ago
    At least there is an option if you want to. Compare to that to the Android's biggest rival, where different browsers are glorified skins on top of Webkit.
  - lern_too_spel 8y ago
    Never explain low level details to parents. Just tell them what to do. In this case, it's as easy as sending them a link like https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.launcher https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft....
  - art0rz 8y ago
    My parents are also the least likely to install a browser other than what comes default
- staticassertion 8y ago
  Are launchers fully replaceable now? I remember years back you could run another launcher but the default launcher process would still execute and remain in the background. Not really a 0 cost choice at that point - especially when phones had weak hardware.
  - ucaetano 8y ago
    AFAIK they've been for many years.
    - staticassertion 8y ago
      Gotcha, ok. I started using Android ~1.5 I believe, so things have changed radically since the beginning. I recall this being the case in ~2.2 perhaps.
      - ocdtrekkie 8y ago
        I used Android from 2.0 to 4.4, and the phones I had performed notably better with third party launchers, suggesting the original launcher process wasn't still using system resources.
    - Dylan16807 8y ago
      It doesn't seem to be entirely isolated. Apparently going back to the old app switcher requires you to freeze or uninstall the system launcher, no matter what launcher you're using.
- danShumway 8y ago
  You're getting downvoted for trivializing the user confusion around replacing it, but when I first got Android I did want to get rid of it, and originally didn't know how. So this is potentially useful information if you've gotten to this point in the thread and are suddenly saying, "wait, I can remove that?"
deleted 8y ago
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0815test 8y ago

It's integrated in the launcher, which is a replaceable part of the system. Just pick a launcher that doesn't have it, or makes it optional.

acct1771 8y ago
Your parents: "Wait...say that again?"
- parthdesai 8y ago
  At least there is an option if you want to. Compare to that to the Android's biggest rival, where different browsers are glorified skins on top of Webkit.
- lern_too_spel 8y ago
  Never explain low level details to parents. Just tell them what to do. In this case, it's as easy as sending them a link like https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.launcher https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft....
- art0rz 8y ago
  My parents are also the least likely to install a browser other than what comes default
staticassertion 8y ago
Are launchers fully replaceable now? I remember years back you could run another launcher but the default launcher process would still execute and remain in the background. Not really a 0 cost choice at that point - especially when phones had weak hardware.
- ucaetano 8y ago
  AFAIK they've been for many years.
  - staticassertion 8y ago
    Gotcha, ok. I started using Android ~1.5 I believe, so things have changed radically since the beginning. I recall this being the case in ~2.2 perhaps.
    - ocdtrekkie 8y ago
      I used Android from 2.0 to 4.4, and the phones I had performed notably better with third party launchers, suggesting the original launcher process wasn't still using system resources.
  - Dylan16807 8y ago
    It doesn't seem to be entirely isolated. Apparently going back to the old app switcher requires you to freeze or uninstall the system launcher, no matter what launcher you're using.
danShumway 8y ago
You're getting downvoted for trivializing the user confusion around replacing it, but when I first got Android I did want to get rid of it, and originally didn't know how. So this is potentially useful information if you've gotten to this point in the thread and are suddenly saying, "wait, I can remove that?"

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]